CONCENTRATION

PHENOMENAL WEEKEND!

It was the annual brainstorming retreat of my writer group. Over the course of three days, ten women (at different times), stayed at a cottage up in Michigan on a lake. A very “concentrated” affair.

And I use the word concentrate because all the definitions apply.

1)  think intensely about something: to focus all of your thoughts on one subject

2.  devote efforts to one thing: to direct attention, time, and resources to one particular   

     area or activity, 

3.  cluster together: to bring things together in the same place or area, or to come together

     in the same place 

Yes, very concentrated.

Problem was—I couldn’t concentrate.

For the life of me, I couldn’t stay with any of the brainstorming ideas for more than a few minutes. At least fifteen different works-in-progress were hashed out. The genres ranged from romantic suspense, to historical, to women’s fiction, to erotica, to inspirational, to paranormal, to LBGT.  The ideas flew around the room like wild monkeys in a cage.

And a few times, a fantastic idea actually flew through my head but then . . .

WHOOSH!

Gone!

And all I was left with were meaningless mutterings.

I felt like a kid with ADD.

And that’s when a thought finally landed. All this brainstorming reminded me of the children’s ditty, Ten Little Monkeys.

            Ten women writers bouncing ideas                   

            Fleshing out plots for their W-I-P’s

            One said something funny that started them laughing

            And they never stopped till they started packing

OK, so I’m not a poet, but you get the idea—it was a great productive weekend! I'm so glad I’m part of the MVRWA writer group.

Always, Em-Musing